• Andrea Truini, Maria Chiara Gerardi, Giulia Di Stefano, Silvia La Cesa, Cristina Iannuccelli, Alessia Pepe, Piercarlo Sarzi-Puttini, Giorgio Cruccu, and Manuela Di Franco.
• Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
• Clin Exp Rheumatol. 2015 Jan 1; 33 (1 Suppl 88): S68-72.

ObjectivesEmerging evidence associates fibromyalgia (FM) with pain system dysfunction. In this study, using laser evoked potentials (LEPs) and paired laser stimuli, we tested excitability in the pain matrices and sought possible changes in patients with FM.MethodsIn 20 patients with FM and 15 healthy subjects, after recording control nociceptive system-mediated Aδ- and C-fibre-related LEPs, we measured excitability in the pain matrices by testing the Aδ-LEP conditioned by a preceding C-LEP.ResultsNo difference was found in control LEP amplitudes for Aδ- or C-fibres between patients and healthy subjects. Conversely, the Aδ-LEP amplitude, conditioned by a preceding C-LEP, was significantly higher in patients than in healthy subjects (p<0.001).ConclusionsObjective evidence from increased conditioned Aδ-LEP amplitudes reflecting hyperexcitability in the pain matrices in FM, provides diagnostically useful information and might help in developing new therapeutic approaches.

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